§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose and function of the defence microbiology division at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down; what is the annual budget of the defence microbiology division; when the defence microbiology division was set up; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe role of the Chemical Defence Establishment is to carry out research into defensive measures to protect our armed forces against attack by chemical or biological weapons. The defence microbiology division is one of the divisions of the CDE: it was set up when the former MOD Microbiology Research Establishment was transferred in 1979 to the public health laboratory service. It is not in the national interest to disclose detailed resource figures. The division was involved in the recent successful exercise to decontaminate Gruinard Island.